Standard Disclaimer – I don't own Twilight or any of the characters from the story. All song selections have been provided by me amazing beta, NoWayWithWords. She is the greatest! She has set up a YouTube Playlist that includes the songs chosen for the chapters. If you would like to check it out, see my profile for the link.
The song for the chapter is "I Believe in You" by Vertical Horizon
Chapter 27 – Pay It Forward
The lawyer, Mrs. Eldinberger, called the following morning to schedule a meeting. We agreed to meet at her office at 10 am. I'd just received the address to her office when Rosalie called with information about the interviews I would be doing. It appeared that my first interview was scheduled for that afternoon. The other two interviews and the private fan interview would be scheduled for the following day. The fan interview was going to be held in the evening. They would be serving dinner and I was invited to an after party if I wished to attend, but it was not mandatory.
It was a good thing we left early when we headed for the lawyer's office because we got lost and ended up driving around for twenty minutes. We pulled into the parking lot at exactly 10:00 on the button. Mrs. Eldinberger was a really nice lady. She looked like she was in her late twenties, but the plaques on the walls indicated that she was much older than that. She wasted no time getting straight to the point. She pulled out the paperwork and we got down to business. She asked me if I was willing to take custody of Lucia in the event that something happened to Colleen while she was in prison. I agreed.
She informed me that Colleen was still trying to decide if she wanted to relinquish her custody of Lucia and hand her over to me permanently, and asked if that was something I would be interested in if Colleen decided to go through with it. I told her that I would. She asked how I intended to take care of her if my music career fell through. I told her that I was generally very frugal with my money, so I should be able to sustain my lifestyle for a little while until I could find work utilizing my college degree. If I had to, I could sell my home on Mercer Island for a huge profit and downsize to a much less expensive one that would be suitable for Lucy and me. This seemed to appease her a little. I filled out my portion of the paperwork and made it out of there just in time to grab a bite to eat and head to the radio station for the first interview.
The interview went well. They let me play on the equipment and pick what songs I wanted to hear. It was fun. That was the same radio station that was going to be doing the fan interview the following evening, so we had the fans call in to win a chance to attend. They said they would continue booking people the rest of the day and some the following day.
They planned on having 50 fans join me for dinner. They said that they would set up 8 tables in a conference room at a hotel downtown. The food would be set up buffet style. The fans would get their food and take their seats around the tables. My dinner would be provided before the interview. I would sit on a small stage and answer questions for 20 minutes. Afterwards, they asked if I could come down and spend 5 minutes at each of the tables so the fans could talk to me in a more intimate setting. It sounded fun.
After dinner, these fans would move down to the hotel bar where the DJ would be broadcasting live. They were going to start the evening off by allowing the winners to have a private party for an hour and then they would open the bar to the public and let everyone in. I didn't commit to that. I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for dancing with a bunch of strangers. Talking to them was one thing, but drinking with them was a different story.
After the interview at the radio station, I decided to pop in at a music store to do some quick autographs. I picked a small place that was privately owned. I figured they needed the business more than some of the major chains. The owners were really happy to see me. I stayed for an hour, during which they sold every CD they had of mine and took pictures with me for their wall.
One of the kids that worked there asked me when I was going to do a poster. He said, "You sure are pretty, Ms. Swan. I bet you could sell a bunch of posters." He blushed and added, "I know a lot of guys that have posters of women they think are pretty. They would probably buy your poster too."
I thanked him for the suggestion and kissed him on the cheek while his buddy took a picture. His friends got a kick out of that. It started me thinking about merchandising. Jasper and Alice had sold a ton of merchandise while I was on tour. He had posters made up from the photographs we did for the album cover. We even sold red silk scarves. I started wondering how one would go about marketing their merchandise, like posters, to the public. I knew Jasper would know, so I called him that evening.
Jasper and I started discussing what we wanted to sell. He asked me what I would like to title my next CD. I told him that I was thinking about calling it "Stockings and Pearls." He didn't ask where I came up with the name, thank God. I told him that I wanted the cover to be super sexy. He suggested we talk to a friend of his in New York about doing the photography for it. According to Jasper, the guy could work miracles with a camera and was a complete professional. He told me he would call the guy and find out what his schedule was like and make sure he was going to be in the country. Apparently, the guy was constantly traveling around the globe taking pictures of famous people. Jasper hoped he could pull some strings and get me on the photographer's schedule.
I did my radio station interviews the following day and then did a little shopping at an upscale resale shop that I ran across. I found some hot looking boots that had never been worn. They still had the tags on them. They were made of black leather and came up past my knees. The heel on them was a little higher than I was used to, but I didn't have any problem walking in them.
I also found a cool looking short dress that was covered in long fringe. It was really low cut with a thin black v-front and fringe that hung down from it in various lengths, making a pattern around my hips. The fringe was silver at the top and faded to black at the ends. The entire dress came down to mid-thigh. It was fun and funky and I liked it.
I tried on the dress with the boots and loved the combination. I looked sexy and pretty much badass. I bought the entire outfit for less than half of the original price tag on the boots alone. I didn't think that was a bad deal at all. Emmett picked himself up a few shirts while we were there. He was a big fan of Abercrombie. He found two plaid short sleeved button-up shirts and one t-shirt that fit him nicely.
"Now that you have an outfit for clubbing, are you planning on actually attending the party at the bar after dinner tonight?" Emmett asked.
"I don't know, Emmett. I haven't really felt like going out lately."
"I think it would do you some good. You should go and have some fun, but I think you should leave before they open the party up to the public. I don't think I would be able to protect you if you were bombarded with fans in a crowded bar."
"I'll think about it," I said.
"Well, I think you should bring the outfit with you, just in case you decide to go to the party. You can always slip into the bathroom and change if you need to."
I agreed that I would do just that, so I made sure to remove the tags and pack everything that I would need to get ready for a night on the town in a bag to take with me before we left. I wore my black slacks and purple sweater to the dinner because I didn't think the dress would be appropriate, and carried the other stuff with me. I looked rather conservative in my interview outfit, but it suited me.
The dinner went surprisingly well. The food was good. Emmett and I ate with the DJ before we went into the dining room with everyone else. He was really cool and kind of cute. He begged and pleaded with me to come to the after party while we were eating dinner. I finally agreed, but told him that I would have to change into party clothes before I went down to the bar. He told me that I could use his room to change because he was staying at the hotel. I thanked him and told him I would send Emmett to the car to bring my stuff in after the interview.
When I came into the room where the fans were gathered, the crowd went wild. They were cheering and taking tons of pictures. It was great. I posed for a couple of minutes so they could get their pictures before I took my seat on the stage. The people who had won tickets to this private event were asked to submit their questions in writing and drop them into a glass fish bowl. The DJ would pull a question out of the bowl and have the person who submitted it stand up, then he would read their question and I would answer.
The questions that the fans asked were pretty good. Most of them centered on when I was going back to the studio to record again, where I got my inspiration to write the lyrics that I had written, and if I was planning another concert tour anytime soon. The only question that I was asked about Edward was whether or not we had been keeping in touch since he left for Europe. I told them that I hadn't heard from him since he left New York. I was glad that they didn't ask what I thought about his antics in Amsterdam.
When the interview portion of the evening was over, Emmett followed me from table to table as I visited with the people there. Most of the fans were really nice. Some were completely star struck and just smiled at me. They couldn't even talk. I thought that was kind of funny, so I purposely made a point of saying something directly to them, like complimenting them on their jewelry or asking them where they were from to make them feel more at ease.
The entire interview was photographed and videotaped by a couple of guys from the radio station. The guy with the video camera followed me to every table. Once I was done he disappeared, but the guy with the huge camera stayed around the entire time. After it was over, I posed for pictures with everyone and then Emmett led me out of the room so I could get changed. The DJ gave me his room key and told me which room he was in so I could go change, while he gave everyone instructions and sent them to the bar.
Emmett escorted me to the room before he headed down to the parking garage for my bag. While he was gone, I touched up my makeup and fixed my hair. The DJ showed up with Emmett. I let them in the room, took my bag and locked myself in the bathroom to get dressed. It only took me a couple of minutes to change out of my clothes and into the dress. I already had on the right panties and bra to go with the dress, so I didn't have to change those. I just slipped into the dress, put on some jewelry, and stepped into the boots. After glancing in the mirror, I decided to pull some of my hair up in a poof and leave the rest in curls down my back. I looked great.
When I came out of the bathroom, the DJ had changed into a nicer looking shirt, but everything else about him was the same. He turned around and said, "Holy fucking shit! You look like sex! I am going to have to insist that you dance with me at least once tonight."
I laughed. "I doubt that will be a problem. I love to dance."
There were some fans waiting in the hallway as we walked out of the room. They took pictures as I walked out, followed by the DJ and then Emmett. Emmett insisted that they take a separate elevator because he didn't like me being in a confined space with people that were so eager to talk to me.
When we got down to the bar, I asked the bartender if he had the ingredients for chocolate martinis. Unfortunately he did not, so I ordered a tequila sunrise. Emmett leaned over the bar and instructed the bartender to make all of my drinks without tequila unless Emmett told him otherwise. When I asked Emmett about it, he said the reason behind his request was to keep me from getting drunk and stupid if people started buying me drinks.
This made sense to me, so I went with it. My first drink was served in a tall glass with a slice of orange and a cherry held in place with a paper umbrella. It was a pretty drink. I liked the way the orange juice faded into the red of the grenadine syrup. The cherry flavor of the grenadine sweetened the orange juice and completely masked the tequila flavor. I liked it.
Emmett sat me at a table against the wall where he could keep an eye on everyone around me. The DJ had an assistant actually playing the music. The woman was really good. She kept the music going while the DJ carried around the microphone and mingled with the people. Every now and then, he would do impromptu interviews with random people. They loved him.
After I finished my first drink, another magically appeared at my table. The waitress said it was from a fan. I took a tentative sip and sure enough, there was no tequila in it. I thanked her and smiled as I sipped my drink.
By the time I finished the fan-provided drink, they started playing some music that I really liked. The DJ was trying to get everyone out on the dance floor to start the party off right. I turned to Emmett and said, "I'm heading out to dance. You can come join me if you like."
Emmett smiled and waved toward the dance floor. "I'll hang back for now, but if they get too close, I'll step in and put myself between them and you. You just stay on this side of the dance floor so I can see you and for God's sake, don't let anyone pull on your dress. Your tits are dangerously close to coming out of that dress as it is."
"Don't worry Emmett. I pinned the dress to my bra. It's not going anywhere," I reassured him with a grin.
Emmett laughed and shook his head as I pranced out onto the dance floor. Once I was out there, everyone else started gathering. The music was rocking and I was having a blast dancing. It had been so long since I had really cut loose and had a good time. As I moved the fringe swayed and bounced around me. It felt incredible. The DJ came out to the dance floor and danced with me a few times but most of the time, I was just out there in the group of fans shaking it with the rest of them.
Before I knew it, the hour of private party was up and they were starting to let other people into the bar. I didn't notice at first, but suddenly the place was packed. I went back to my table and took a seat to rest my feet and close out my tab. It took the waitress a few minutes to get the bartender's attention to find out how much I owed. I had only had two drinks of my own, but had consumed six non-alcoholic versions, so it looked like I had eight drinks. The DJ came over and sat beside me with his beer.
"Damn, Bella, you sure know how to hold your liquor. I have to admit, I'm impressed. I don't know anyone that could handle eight drinks and still dance, let alone walk in those boots. You must have some kind of secret filter or something."
I knew better than to tell my secret. If the fans found out that they had been ripped off and paid for drinks that didn't have any alcohol in them, they would be upset. So I just smiled and said, "I just finished touring with Edward Cullen. I think I have had my fair share of practice partying."
The waitress closed out my tab so I told the DJ it was time for me to go. I'd left my bags in his room, so he told his assistant that he would be right back. Emmett and I followed him to his room to get my bags. While we were in the room, the DJ asked, "Off the record. How the hell do you manage to drink so much?"
I explained, "I order drinks that look the same without alcohol and instruct the bartender to make them virgin unless my bodyguard orders them for me."
"Shit, that's a great idea. I don't think I can get away with that drinking beer. They just bring me one bottle after another. The shitty part is that I will have to wake up and do the morning show with a hangover tomorrow." He covered his face and groaned.
"You could always switch to bourbon or Crown Royal. Then all you have to do is slip the bartender a bottle that you have filled with tea and tell him that you only want the real thing if you order it yourself. All other drinks come from your 'private bottle'. That way you can control your drinking much easier."
He grinned. "That's some devious shit there, Bella. I love it. You know, you're a really cool chick. I hope your next CD sells as good as this one did. You have a good head on your shoulders. If you keep it, you should be a huge success in the music industry. If you lose control like so many of them do, you could lose it all. Good luck to you."
I thanked him and we left. The drive back to the apartment seemed to take forever. I was tired and ready to take off my boots. I barely made it through the front door of the apartment before I had them unzipped and kicked off.
I climbed into the shower to wash all the sweat off. Just as I finished up in the shower, my cell phone rang. I dried off and rushed to the phone, but didn't make it in time. I looked at the incoming call and saw, "Unknown." I waited for the person to call again, or for the phone to tell me that I had a message, but got nothing. I checked my messages again, just in case, but there weren't any. I sat the phone back down and combed the tangles out of my hair. I checked it one more time before I went to bed, but still no messages.
The next morning, I woke up and checked it again. I had another missed call from the same "unknown" caller during the night, but they still didn't leave a message. I don't know why this bothered me, but it did. I turned the ringer volume on the phone to high and clipped it to my shorts as I started the process of packing my things. We were heading home that afternoon.
Once we had everything packed, we went to Clarence's house to spend some time with Lucy before we had to leave for the airport. She was extremely happy to see us. She wanted to sit in my lap and show me all of her toys. We colored together and I helped her dress her doll. She even asked me if I would give her "Mal hair" again, so I French braided her hair like I had before. It killed me when I had to leave.
Clarence and Lucy walked us out to the car. Emmett and I both gave Lucy kisses and promised that we would come see her again. Clarence promised to let me know if he heard anything about Colleen or the lawyer. I thanked him and gave him a hug before I climbed into the car and cried all the way to the airport.
When we stopped to turn in the rental car, Emmett made me go to the bathroom and fix myself up. He didn't want to risk Rosalie's wrath if pictures surfaced of me looking like I was strung out or something equally as bad. When I saw myself in the mirror, I was extra thankful that he was a good enough friend that he would be honest with me about my appearance. I really did look like shit.
The flight back was long. There was a lady sitting in front of us who talked my ear off about her cats and how each one of them had its own distinct personality. I just smiled and pretended to be interested, when in reality I was thinking, "This crazy old cat lady is going to die if she doesn't turn around and shut the fuck up!"
Emmett must have picked up on the murderous vibe because he interrupted her and started talking about our upcoming week. This bored her enough that she turned around and started talking to someone else.
When our plane arrived, we called Rosalie to let her know we were back. It was too late to make the three hour drive to Port Angeles to take Emmett home, so we headed to my new house. All the camping stuff was still there from before our last visit, so we at least had air mattresses to sleep on.
When we arrived, I was happy to see that the windows had all been replaced. It made the entire house look and feel much more welcoming, despite the vulgar messages inscribed on the walls. We took turns in the bathroom in the garage, and then called it a night. I was so tired, I didn't even notice when Emmett turned out the lights and made sure the doors were locked.
Since there were no curtains or blinds on the windows, the sunlight woke us the next morning. Emmett got up checked all the new windows for me. I don't know if he even knew what he was looking at, but it was nice of him to check them anyway.
Rosalie was going to drive up to Seattle and meet me and Emmett at Jasper's studio. She needed to meet with Jasper about something anyway, so they planned it around our return home so she could pick up Emmett while she was there. He was so anxious to see her that he almost forgot to grab his luggage as we headed out the door.
When we arrived at the studio, Jasper was talking on the phone. He was laughing and using every ounce of southern charm he could muster up. Emmett and I wandered past the offices to the recording booth were the band was playing around with a piece.
Nate looked up and saw me and waved us in. He and the others were practicing on some music he had written for one of the songs I sent to Jasper. They played it for me, and it sounded good. I liked it. They played another one for me that still needed some work because it seemed a little off. We all agreed that it needed something, but we didn't know what yet.
I was telling them about the last song I had written and how I didn't want to change a thing on that one, if possible, when Jasper joined us.
"Don't get too comfortable, Bella. You are going to have to leave tonight for New York. I managed to book you a photo session with my friend Laurent. He is postponing his flight to Paris just to squeeze you in. You'll need to take several outfits. He is emailing me a list of the types of things he wants you to bring. He is dedicating an entire day for you, so don't plan to do anything else while you're there. If we're lucky, we can get your CD cover and maybe a poster out of this. We'll have to see what he comes up with."
"Okay. I guess I'll have to head straight to Forks to pack. It's going to take 4 hours for me to get there and another 4 hours to get back. Give me about an hour to say hello to my dad and pack my things… What time is my flight?"
Jasper looked at his watch and said, "Leave now and don't spend too much time with your dad. As soon as I get the list, I'll forward it to you. Leave your other clothes here. I'll get Alice to wash them, just in case you need anything you currently have packed."
I waved to the guys as I ran out to my car. I was glad that I had already filled up my gas tank on my way to Jasper's house. I called my dad while I was driving and explained what was going on. He said he was just sitting around the house, so he offered to find me some moving boxes and start packing up my clothes for me. I told him that he could get boxes but not to pack yet, because I already knew where everything was and didn't want to have to dig through boxes to find anything specific.
I somehow managed to make it to the house in record time. Dad was waiting for me. I powered up my laptop and logged into my email to find the list that Jasper promised to forward. It consisted of some strange requests.
Jazzy Boy,
Have the sweetie bring something kinky, something wild, maybe a little innocent with a touch of sexy. Don't forget to have her bring something Dangerous. That always goes well. Old and torn up works well, too. If you can't decide, just bring it all. I'll be waiting, and you know how much I hate waiting. (wink)
Smooches,
Laurent
I had no idea what to pack, so I called Alice.
"Alice, have you read the list from the photographer? What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"Calm down, Bella. Ok, ignore him. First of all, let's think about what we are doing here. You said you wanted to call the CD 'Stockings and Pearls.' I am sure you have some reason for that, but I'm not going to get into it at this moment. That is a discussion for later. So anyway, I think you need to pack some stockings and pearls. You do have stockings don't you?"
"Yes."
I grabbed the cream colored stockings and the pearl necklace I had bought for Edward and tossed them onto the bed.
"What color are they?"
"Cream."
"OK, do you have any others?'
"No. Just that one pair."
"Ok, I'll pick you up a couple of other options to take with you. Now, let's talk dirty. What do you have in the means of lingerie? Do you have any leather?"
"No. I have a couple of lacy nightgowns and a corset set that I won at a party back in college, but I've never worn it."
"Pack it anyway. Take the rattiest pair of jeans you own and your oldest, most worn out sweat pants and t-shirt. Also take your sexiest shoes and your worst shoes. I love the boots by the way. You are definitely taking those and the dress with all the fringe is definitely going. I just dropped it off at the one hour cleaners so it will be ready in time."
While she was talking I dug into the back of my closet and found my maroon corset with matching lacy boy shorts. It was still wrapped in the plastic bag. I tossed it onto the bed with the rest of the stuff and started piling on my shoes and old stuff. I had a pair of tennis shoes that I only wore when I was mowing the yard. They had holes and were horribly stained.
"Ok, Bella, grab the white eyelet lace top and khaki pants and the outfit I made for you with the paisley jeans and the baby doll scarf top. Do you have any really big bulky jewelry?"
"No."
"Ok, you can borrow some of mine. What about spandex pants? Do you have any of those?"
"Hell, no! Alice, you've seen my wardrobe. You know that I don't have anything like that."
"Ok, don't worry about it. I'll call Rosalie and see if you can borrow hers. She and Emmett are on the road now. They should be there before you hit Port Angeles on your way here. I think that should do us for now. Toss all that stuff in a bag and head to Rosalie's house. I'm going out to get you some more stockings. I'll have all this stuff ready and waiting. Now, you have 7 minutes to talk to your dad before you have to head to Rosalie's… Oh, and Bella, don't waste time trying on what she gives you. It's spandex. It will fit!"
"Thanks, Alice, I owe you."
"Don't thank me yet. Wait until Laurent gets a look at what he has to work with. He's likely to go all drama queen on you."
I got off the phone with Alice, shoved everything in a cardboard box because my luggage was still at Alice's, and went downstairs to talk to my dad. He offered to pack up my room for me and haul everything to the new house while I was gone, but I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea with all of the construction and repainting that was getting ready to get started. He offered to let me take my bedroom furniture with me and said that I could give it to Lucy if I got something new for myself. I thanked him but then pointed out that that would leave no place for her to sleep if she came to spend the night at his house. His eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"You would really let me babysit?"
"Are you kidding? I'm counting on it. Dad, I know we will be moving to Seattle, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to still have you involved in my life. You are my family. I love you and want you around. I'm hoping you will come spend some time visiting us too. Who else is going to teach Lucy to fish?"
Dad was excited about that idea and started talking about a little fishing pole he had seen somewhere, but I had to rush out the door if I was going to stay on schedule. Dad promised to find me some more boxes while I was gone, so I thanked him as I pulled out of the driveway to head to Rosalie's.
The drive to Port Angeles seemed to take an eternity. In reality, I got there ten minutes faster than I would usually travel. Apparently feeling rushed makes me drive faster than normal. When I pulled into Rose and Emmett's driveway, Emmett opened the door and carried a bag out to the car. "Here you go. Everything is in here. You can go now."
I laughed, "Wow, that's service. I expected to have to come in and go through clothes."
Emmett shook his head. "No, Bella, you're not getting out of this car and coming into my house. I haven't made love to my wife in weeks and she won't let me touch her until you are on your way, so get the hell out of here," he teased.
I laughed, "Gee, Emmett, it sounds like you're calling me a cock blocker."
"Goodbye, Bella, enjoy your trip all the way across the country by yourself while I stay at home with my lovely wife. Hopefully you don't have to sit beside a crazy cat lady."
"Emmett, you are evil!" I said, as I pulled out of the driveway and headed to Seattle.
When I arrived at Jasper's house, Alice had already emptied my suitcase, washed everything, and packed the stuff she decided I was taking with me. She looked through what I had in my box and the bag from Rose before arranging it in the suitcase for me to take with me. She also threw in something to sleep in and something to wear on the airplane home. Jasper had arranged for someone to pick me up at the airport and drive me directly to Laurent's studio. I would be staying at the hotel across the street when Laurent was finished with me and flying back the following morning. It was a super rush trip. I wasn't looking forward to it at all. I hated sleeping on airplanes. Thankfully, I remembered to grab my sound-canceling head phones for the trip.
As Jasper drove me to the airport, he warned me about Laurent. "Bella, he is a little strange, but he does incredible work, so be patient with him. He is also a horrible gossip, so don't tell him anything you don't want to see posted on the cover of a tabloid somewhere. He won't sell your pictures without your knowledge, but he sure will let the story leak, so be careful what you tell him."
"Okay, I'll be careful."
"Also, he has no time or patience for bashful people. If he tells you to change shirts, he wants you to do it right then and there. He doesn't want to wait for you to go off and find a dressing room or find some secluded place to change. He wants you to just take off your shirt and put the one he hands you on. He may sound like he is hitting on you at times, but believe me; you have nothing to worry about. He is not interested in women sexually at all."
"It sounds like you've known him for a long time."
Jasper glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and said, "He is one of the few people from my past that I have kept in contact with over the years. He helped me out when no one else gave a damn."
"So, this was before your second chance?" I asked.
"Yes. I started modeling when I was just a kid. I did some catalogues and some magazines. By the time I was a teenager, I was doing a lot of modeling. I even did some runway shows. Anyway, popularity often comes with a price. My price was drugs. At first it was all just fun and games. I would do some photo shoots and then party hard all night long. I would sleep it off the next day and then start over. The drugs got harder and harder and soon I found that I didn't care much about anything else. I stopped working out and taking care of myself, so the modeling contracts were dropping off, but I kept on with the drugs. I didn't have any work skills and didn't give a shit about working anyway, so I was pretty much screwed. That's when I really hit rock bottom. Someone offered me a chance to sell sex for drug money, so I did a couple of porn movies. That money didn't last long, so I found myself on the streets fucking for cash."
"You were a prostitute? How old were you?"
"I was nineteen. I did some really stupid shit. Anyway, Laurent and the guy he was dating at the time, found me strung out on a park bench with a needle in my arm. They took me in and made me straighten my life up. They drug me to AA meetings and forced me to get tested every month for a year. Thankfully I managed to test clean every time. It is a miracle that I didn't end up with AIDS or something else with all the shit I was doing."
"That is a miracle. Did you stay clean?"
Jasper shook his head. "I fell off the wagon once a couple of years later, but that's when I met Alice. She found me and got me right back on my feet. I've been straight every since. It's been seven years and I'm still going strong. If they hadn't helped me pull my head out of my ass, who knows where I would be right now? I'd probably be dead."
"So you give people second chances because you were lucky enough to be given a second chance."
"When I was going through withdrawals and thinking I was going to die, I prayed to God that if he gave me another chance, I would not only make myself better, I would help others who were willing to make themselves get better too."
"I'm glad Alice found you. The two of you are great together. She is a lifesaver." Thinking of how obvious their love was for each other made me smile.
"I'm glad too. When she found me, she brought sunshine and happiness into my dreary existence. She helped me see that I have value. I didn't see that before. I thought I was just a washed up model. I didn't realize that the contacts I had made through my modeling career could help me in other industries as well. I called in a few favors, and found a great little band that needed a hand. I helped them put together a CD and then they made it big. I used my portion of the money to buy some equipment and then found another great band and did the same thing. In a couple of years, I managed to get on my feet financially. I bought the studio and now I rent out studio time to artists as well as produce CDs. That allows me to buy better equipment and fund more artists."
"What a great story! You've dedicated your life to helping other people achieve their dreams. Thank you, Jasper."
"Thank you, Bella. As you succeed, the money I bring in from your success will help fund the dreams for the next person. So please keep in mind that your fans are the foundation of your future. If you snub your fans, people will stop listening to your music and you will stop making money. Also, consider the image that you portray. Right now, your image is sexy. That's fine. There is nothing wrong with sexy. Fans like sexy, but slutty is another story. Fans don't usually respond well to slutty. They lose respect for you. I'm not saying that you should become a nun, I'm just saying that you need to use discretion if you decide to start picking up random guys."
"I don't think you have anything to worry about in that department. I haven't been with anyone…"
"Since Edward Cullen in New York. I know. That love affair came on quickly and ended just the same. I'm not judging you for it; I'm just saying that should you feel the need to have someone in your bed, it would be a good idea to do it discreetly. The press is going to start following you more and more as you become more popular. You don't want to be like some stars where the tabloids keep a running tally of how many men they've gone through during their careers. It is also a good idea to watch out for people who are only with you because it will boost their press exposure, like washed up actors or second rate sports stars."
"I understand." I thought about that strange actor that was talking to me in airport recently. I wondered if that was what he was trying to do, to use me to get some attention.
Before I realized it, we were pulling up at the airport and he was helping haul my suitcase out of the trunk of his car. "Good luck, Bella. If Laurent gives you too much trouble, give me a call."
"I will. Thank you, Jasper, for everything. I wouldn't be here without you. You gave me my second chance."
"I only gave you the ladder, Bella. You have to be the one to climb it."
With a smile and kiss on the cheek, Jasper climbed back into his car and I watched him drive away.
A/N: So, Bella's off to New York to do a photo shoot with no body guard. Don't worry. Laurant is a pretty good guy… You'll see. Also, this chapter gives you a little more insight on Jasper and why he feels the need to help other people get their lives back on track.
On a side note, I have started receiving even more nasty notes from people trying to bully me into changing the story and speed things up. Sorry, but it's not going to happen. This story is written the way I want it written. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's as simple as that. There is no need to send me threatening emails or post nasty reviews about how I'm ruining this story and how much it sucks because you don't agree with the decisions Bella is making or something I said in an author's note. I appreciate constructive criticism, but I will not tolerate rudeness and threats. There is a big difference.
This isn't the kind or story where everything is roses and butterflies. This is a story where they have something good, but their communication problems cause it to fall apart. We primarily follow Bella while her life takes some rather extreme turns, to show how it affects her as a person and how things will change for both of them when they finally do get back together. Yes – They do get back together.
I promised that I would get this posted on time and it looks like I succeeded. I hope that you enjoy it. I'm busy wrapping presents and helping my husband bake cookies today. (Yes, he does the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and pays the bills. He is definitely a keeper. Yes, he has a brother, but they are polar opposites. Sorry.)
Merry Christmas everyone! I wish you all a peaceful, happy holiday filled with good food, good friend, and good family. Cherish your time with each and every one of them and always remember to be safe.